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AUS. 34 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER.' 
555 
are running at a loss. The present prices of 
butter in Chicago are as follows: “ Fancy 
creamery, 20@23c.; choice do., 16@19c.; dairy 
do., 13@15c. for fancy; 10©12c. for extra do.; 
9@10e. for good sweet straight-colored do.; 7@ 
8%c. for fair; G(S>6}-^e. for common; 4<®5o. for 
inferior.” It takes as much milk and harder 
work to make a pound of poor butter than to 
make a pound of the boat quality. Further 
comment is unnecessary. 
The times appear to be improving in this part 
of the great West, and a long season of pros¬ 
perity is hopefully anticipated. With the pres¬ 
ent abundance of everything and low scale of 
prices, all real wants can bo supplied. Let the 
people be patient, watchful and industrious, and 
live within their means, and all will be well. 
KANSAS LETTER. 
Sumner Co., Aug. 15, 18T8. 
This county was organized in 1871, with a 
population of about five hundred. So rapid 
has the settlement been that the inhabitants now 
number 13,000. The people are enterprising, 
progressive and intelligent. Tho society is as 
good hero as in tho older States, as is evidenced 
by the numerous school-houses and church or¬ 
ganizations. There are 110 organized school 
districts iu the county with a commodious and 
comfortable school-house in each. 
Wellington, tho county-seat, is beautifully 
located, aud contains a population of 1000. It 
has a good, substantial court-honse, a bank and 
an excellent flouring mill. The M. E. church 
now in process of construction, when completed, 
will be a handsome and creditable edifice. Tho 
county is well watered by three rivers; the Ar¬ 
kansas, Ninnescah, and Chioaskia and yiany 
other streams of less magnitude. 
The scarcity of timber which was once urged 
as an objection to the country, proves to be of 
little consequence. Lying adjacent to the In¬ 
dian Territory, as this county .does, most of the 
fuel consumed has been procured from there; 
consequently the supply of timber has not been 
materially diminished in this county. Beauti¬ 
ful groves of forest trees uow dot the prairie, 
which in a few years will bo sufficient to sup¬ 
ply all the fuel needed hero for the uext cen¬ 
tury. There never Has been an absolute fail¬ 
ure of crops since the organization of tkeoounty. 
In the summer of ’71 corn was very poor, iu con¬ 
sequence of tho extremely dry weather. The 
wheat crop, however, was good that season, aud 
there hive been no justifiable grouuds for com¬ 
plaint of any crop since. 
This year 85,250 acres of wheat were harvested 
which will average between 22 and 25 bushels 
per acre. Reports from various localities since 
threshing commenced, give tho yield as from 
17 to 44 bushels per acre. This is evidently one 
of the beet wheat-growing counties iu tho State. 
This is a broad assertion but the ngricultnral 
statistics of Kansas will bear it out. Even sa¬ 
gacious farmers would argue that a soil so well 
adapted to this oereal would not produoo corn. 
This error prevented a large acreage from being 
planted until it was exploded by actual demon¬ 
strations. Coru has been successfully grown 
here for six years. The present season there 
are 41,343 acres which will yield no less than 
fifty bushels per acre. Farmers from various 
localities declare they never saw better corn 
growing, and estimate the yield of many fields 
at 75 bushela por acre. Potatoes are excellent. 
Peaches cannot bo surpassed in the State for 
size and quality. They were marketed hero as 
early as June 10th and pronounced as fine as 
any grown iu the groat fruit belt of Michigan. 
Very few apple trees were old enough to bear 
this season. This couuty, however, has pro¬ 
duced apples equal to any iu the State. Grapes 
are now in market and compare favorably 
with those grown on the vine-clad slopes 
of Franco. The ooudition of several fields of 
timothy, blue-grass aud clover is a striking proof 
that these grasses cau be successfully grown 
here. For a diversity of crops this county is in 
tho front rank. 
< Notwithstanding the stream of immigration 
whioh has poured among as, land iB still cheap. 
It is a large county and can sustain a population 
of 30,000. Land ranges in price from S3 to §15 
per ucre, according to locality and improve¬ 
ments. Albert Brown. 
WEST VIRGINIA NOTES. 
Charleston, Kanawha Co., W. Va., Aug. 17. 
The fruit orop is very light in this section of 
the country this year ; peaches in particular are 
scarce, there not being many raised in the Val¬ 
ley as they do not thrive w'ell. The trees flour¬ 
ish for awhile but soon die, not bearing more 
than one or two crops before they commence 
withering up. It seems that small worms and 
insects bore iu tho roots of the trees, aud there 
loesu't seem to be uny remedy for it. In hill 
iand it is different, aud peaches are raised in 
tbundanco, the worms not bothering the treeH, 
ind tho elevation of the land being particularly 
adapted to the nature of the fruit. 
Apples are uot so plentiful as usual, there not 
jeing much more than half a crop. There is 
jlenty for home consumption, and those who 
have to buy feel the scarcity more than tho 
farmers. It is a matter of great trouble to our 
farmers to save their apples through the winter. 
Ill-success is certainly not duo to carelessness; 
for I have frequently seen men who had fine 
orchards gather their apples carefully, and put 
them up, some in cellars, some in garrets aud 
others iu barrels, and long before Christmas 
they would be rotten. Why this is I am unable 
to understand; for the same variety of apples 
that are shipped hither from various places, are 
perfectly sound and remain so through the win¬ 
ter always commanding a good price. 
Tobacoo is raised by most of the farmers, and 
is their principal money crop, but this year the 
money part failed, tobacco being worth so little 
that it hardly paid for the trouble of shipping 
it. Thoso who were able waited for a better 
price, but the price has risen very little if any, 
leaving them to chew it themselves or sell it at 
reduced prices. 
Wheat, though not so good as expected, 
is very low, not being more than seventy-five 
or eighty cents per bushel, where before it 
ranged from one dollar to a dollar and thirty- 
five cents per bushel, and was scarce at that. 
Oats are raised by almost all of the farmers aud 
will be only a moderate crop this year. Rye 
and barley are raised only by very few persons 
as there is very little demand for them. Millet 
is something that iB very little grown and 1 
think I can safely say that there are not more 
than one or two persons in the county that culti¬ 
vate it, there being only one that I know of It 
would be a great help to the farmers if they 
would raise it to use while green for Btock and 
save hay and other feed for winter. e. b. d. 
-♦-*-*- 
RURAL SPECIAL REPORTS. 
Allen Co., Kansas, June 22nd 1878. 
It would bo wise in thoso thinking of immi¬ 
grating to this State to do as the Pilgrim Fathers 
did, on striking Plymouth Rock—stop. All the 
immigrants, this season, or at least eight-tenths 
of them, are making a great mistake. They are 
jumping over a country from fifteen to twenty- 
five per cent of which is timbered, and going into 
a part of the State where there is often none 
within fifteen miles of the settler, while, in 
some parts he will have to travel from thirty to 
fifty miles for fire-wood or timber and as far or 
farther for lumber. Here, in tho eastern part 
of the State, we can get our lumber by going a 
few miles for it, at half tho price which those 
living further west, have to pay for it; while 
wood cau be bad on the farm or by going a few 
mileB for it. Moreover, coal is to be found in 
almost every county iu this section. Another 
important point is that we are a hundred miles, 
more or Iobb, nearer to market, an important 
consideration where, as here, freights are iiigb. 
Then, again, we have the advantages of villages, 
churches, schools, and bridges, all of which 
those settling in the western counties of the 
State must be without for years yet. 
Like myself, on my first arrival in tho State, 
others may think that as this region has beeu 
settled so long, laud would naturally be dear, 
aud thickly populated. But to learn the price 
of Home of the splendid farms here, would sur¬ 
prise many Eastern farmers living on high- 
priced rocky, hilly, hard-pan lands. As for un¬ 
improved laud, it is extremely level or slightly 
rolling, but iu both cases tho soil is very deep. 
All a man has to do is to hitch his three-horse 
team to a plow and carve out a farm. A man 
with some means—and the more he has tho bet¬ 
ter—can accomplish more here in a oouple of 
years than the old settlers did in a score between 
Lake Erie and the Atlantic. I don’t mean that 
he’ll got richer, for he will have to wait until his 
land appreciates in value, but ho oau make for 
himself a nicer and more oomfortablo homo. 
To do this, however, a man must have some 
means. With a small capital, or none at all, 
this is a poor place to come to ; and in nine cases 
out of ten the impecunious new-comer would 
strike back disappointed for his old home—if he 
thought there was a chance of ever reaching it. 
A. W. Wilcox. 
Purtlk Cane, Dodge Co., Neb., Aug. 18 , is7S. 
Our country is composed of two levels, one 
the Platte River bottoms, always under water in 
spring, and tbo Bluff or Table-land, somotimes 
dried up in a specially dry term. This year we 
have had a very great amount of rain, falling 
gently, but so nearly continuously during May, 
June and July as to render cultivation ou the 
bottoms and in tho “ saga” on the bluffs, near¬ 
ly impossible. Corn is a failure in the wet lauds, 
fair on the medium and on slopes where surface 
draiuage is natural, and extraordinarily good ou 
dry laud. As near as I cau learn, the crop will 
average over 110 in amount aud in quality 
throughout tho country, but will bo iu tho hands 
of comparatively few. I am among the particu¬ 
larly favored ones. 
Wheat, rye, oats and barley bad, even on wet 
landa, an extra growth, bnt it proves to be 
blighted, rusty, fallen and chaffy, about as the 
corn crop is distributed, and in my opinion was 
not fully fertilized, as the rainy season kept the 
pollen iu a soft, mushy state, unfavorable to that 
process. The orop prospects are, however, very 
good from the greatly increased acreage. 
Fruit growing is confined to the southeast 
corner of the State; we know but little of it 
here. 
Stock is ia extra couditioD, from the earliness 
aud abuudanoo of young grass all the time. Our 
farmers are in good spirits, believing that the 
worst of the hard times are over, and that a good 
time is comiDg. 
De Witt, Clinton Co., Mich. Aug. 19. 
Corn here is good. The growth during May 
and Jane was slow and unpromising, but the 
warm weather of July brought it forward rap¬ 
idly. The stalk has not pushed so high, per¬ 
haps, as in some seasons, but the ears are large 
and well filled, and the yield, both as to quality 
and quantity, will be good. 
Wheat, of which tho acreage was large, is 
turning out well. Tho orop was in general well 
secured, thongh on aoconut of its ripening fast 
aud all at once, and the scarcity of help, there 
was some loss from the grain shelling. The 
Clawson gives the best yield, Oats came in 
light. 
Potatoes are fair. The beetle has ceased to be 
a terror here. 
Of fruit we have nothing to boast of. Apples 
about one-fuurth of a crop ; though the markets 
are over-supplied with early ones. Farmers in set¬ 
ting out orchards have given more space to per- 
ishablo summer sorts than is profitable ; but we 
have many pears, and the same may be said of 
grapes, though there will be more of these thau 
tho May frosts would have led one to expect. 
Plums hardly worth mentioning. This is a “peach 
year ” with us, and though the fruit has dropped 
badly, we can still claim to have peaches. 
’a. e. s. 
IIanawa FAL7.S, St.Lawi’ence Co., N. T., Aug. 15. 
The wheat crop has beeu an average one, but 
that sown early was injnred by drought, and 
later has been cut through the long-continued 
rain, and has been damaged one-third in value. 
Rye, both winter and spring, was damaged by 
drought about two-thirds of a crop. Oats the 
same. Corn never looked better in this county; 
it will be above the average if nothing befalls it. 
Barley an average crop. Potatoes about half a 
crop; early ones were hurt by frost, drought 
and bugs; later aro being stricken with rust. 
The fruit crop about an average ; more red 
plums than for ton years before. 
Peas were nearly a failure on account of the 
drought. Onions, multipliers, good; from black 
seed the prospects now are fair; beets, parsnips, 
currrots, never were belter. CabbRge wiU be a 
fair crop. Hay was an average, some low mead¬ 
ows were hurt by float in May. For the past 
throe weeks we have had more rain than we have 
had for twelve years iu the same time. 
o. r. c. 
Osborne Citv, Osborne Co., Ks., Aug. 17. 
We have a beautiful country out here—a very 
grand country. Rioh soil, good climate, and an 
excellent class of people. The couuty was first 
settled iu 1870, when about thirty took up their 
homes here. It now has a population of over 
8,000, aud not less than a quarter of a million 
bushels of wheat were raised hero tho present 
season. The coru crop also is very heavy. 
We raise this season good winter wheat, aver¬ 
age 20 bushels to the acre ; good spring wjheat, 
average 18 bushels to the acre ; rye, average 20 
bushels; oats, average 40 bushela. The corn 
will j ield 10 to 50 bushels, shelled, to the acre. 
Irish potatoes are abuudant; sweet potatoes ex¬ 
cellent ; peanuis do well; all kinds of garden 
track are abundant. Fifteen inches of rain fell 
iu the past mouth. 
The people all came here poor—some very 
poor—but there are no tramps here. Plenty of 
work for all, and plenty to eat, and to spare. 
D. W. C. O’N. 
Potato vines are blighted by rust, and 'late 
planted will turn out “small potatoes;” every¬ 
body is prophesying that they will be “ high” 
next winter ; they are, at present, $1, per bush¬ 
el. Fruit is a failure; orchards usually bear¬ 
ing from one to two hundred bushels, will not 
yield more than five or six. b. n. h. 
Lowell, Walker Co , Ala., Aug. 18. 
The corn crop in this particular locality is de¬ 
cidedly poor—as near as I can judge, about half 
a crop. It was largely injured by drought, and 
covers a comparatively small area. It is said, 
however, we shall have an average crop for the 
whole county, the yield being very large in eome 
parts of it. The com crops in adjoining coun¬ 
ties are repoited very good. This part of the 
county does not figure very largely as a corn- 
producing section; enough being produced to 
meet the local demands only. The wheat orop 
was poor in yield, as in quality. The apple crop 
is very good, and also the peach crop, where or¬ 
chards are properly cared for. The drouth waB 
broken the 10th. b. a. 
Howard Lake, Wright Co., Minn., Aug. 10. 
The crops within a radius of ten miles of this 
place, are better than for two or more years 
past. Wheat, from 15 bushels to the acre, has 
mounted up to as bigli as 30 in some fields. 
About twenty miles south of this, the wheat was 
laid so low bv wind, that it was mowed with a 
scythe. Oats are very, barley tolerably, good. 
Potatoes about two-thirds of a crop. Corn good 
—about fifty bushels to the acre. Hay Is also 
good. Weather has changed to the j ure bracing 
air. which we have so much of ia this State. 
8. A. M. 
Watson, Allegan Co.. Mtcli., Aug. 19, 1678. 
Having and harvesting aro over, and thrash¬ 
ing baa commenced. The yield of wheat is not 
so large as mauy anticipated from the growth of 
Btraw, probably owing to the extreme wet of 
last spiing. Oats, poor from the same cause. 
Corn will be only a moderate crop. Hay good. 
Early potatoes light. Fruit of alt kinds about 
medium. Good weather for harvest, except heat. 
Prices low: wheat 95o. Farm wageB from $8 
to ?16 per month anl board. h. a. e. 
Elmira, Chemung Co., N. Y., Aug. 17,1S7S. 
The coru crop in this part of the country 
promises to be very fair; the very warm weather 
we have had and the rains have brought it for¬ 
ward very rapidly, thongh it was late getting 
started. The apple trees are quite loaded with 
fruit. Tears are doing better than for several 
years, though they are still Bnfferiug with the 
blight. Plums are very abundant. h. 
Milford, Barton Co., Mo., Aug. 16. 
Our wheat crop was light, too much rain 
through the winter. Oats very good, 50 to 75 
bushels to the acre. Corn will be fair, though 
planted lato and poorly cultivated on account of 
so much rain. Stock of all kinds look well, 
though very low prices are paid for the animals. 
Apples scarce ; peaches, pears and smaller fruits 
plentiful. Money scarce. a. b. s, 
Edoerton, Johnson Co., Kan., Aug. 13. 
This is a prosperous year for Kansas. Wheat 
and oats were very heavy ; vegetables fine, 
with the best prospect for corn we have ever 
had. It is now iu roasting-eara, and we are hav¬ 
ing plenty of rain. Peaches will be plenty, but 
apples a failure. Small fruits were in abund¬ 
ance. Does never did better; mine have their 
boxes nearly all full now. a. b. d. 
Barry, Pike Co., Ill., Aug. 16 , 1878. 
Winter wheat, of which more than a usual 
breadth was sown, was very good, but the yield 
only about one-third. Of spring wheat none has 
been sown. About an average breadth of oats 
was sown, and the crop is more than usually 
good. Hay crop very large. Of corn hardly the 
usual acreage was planted. That which was 
well attended to is good; but owing to the 
wet spring, and early harvest, a good deal of it 
has been neglected, aud therefore the prospeot 
is of loss thau au average crop. The early po¬ 
tatoes are good ; poor prospects for those put in 
late, but uot many were planted. All small 
fruit very abundant. Poach crop very light, so 
is the apple. Not half of the farmers will have 
what they would like for their own use. Not 
more thau oue orchard iu a hundred, on an av¬ 
erage, will yield any for market. This report 
applies to Pike aud the southern part of (Adam 
and Brown counties. J. f. l. 
Newton, Sussex Co., N. J., Aug. 20. 
The corn is growing yet, and is loaded with 
very heavy sets, but I think it wants a little 
more sun to bring it around all right. Buck¬ 
wheat is looking fine; the fields are a splendid 
sight, white with blossoms and covered with 
honey bees. My father - in - law Bold his 
apples for 75 cents per bushel in the orchard. 
They are splendid. A. v. 
Gatlord, Smith Co., Kan., August 17. 187S. 
The prospeot for the corn crop here this year 
is the best that we have ever had. We shall cer¬ 
tainly get from 50 to 75 bushels per acre. Other 
crops, also, are good. Small fruits are a suc¬ 
cess ; large fruits are not grown, as the country 
is new ; it being only seveu years ago that the 
first settllement was made here. a. c. w. 
Church Road, Davidson Co., Ya. t Aug. 2ist. 
The tea plants sent out by the Government to 
our part of Va. are doing well and our people 
take much interest in the experiment. The 
crops in this district aro good. t. e. o. 
Colkgkovk, McKean Co., Pa., Aug. 22. 
The prospects of the corn crop here are very 
good, I don’t think they wero ever known to be 
better. 
The wet weather put farmers back in their 
haying so that they have just finished. The 
hay crop is unusually good, aud many are saying 
they never cut so much before. Oats, whioh aro 
the staple grain product here, are yielding well. 
Poquonoc Bridge. Hartford Co., Conn. 
Our July was remarkable in its heavy south¬ 
west winds, some days blowing a complete 
gale, and continuing all through the month. 
m. w 
Oswego, Oswego Co., N. Y., Aug. 17. 
The corn crop has not looked as promising in 
years ; and more than the average number of 
acres are planted. s. o. 
